The Best Movies About Adoption

Updated January 4, 2021 3.3k votes 836 voters 85.3k views60 items

List RulesPlots must center around adoption or adoptees.

This list of movies about adoption or the process of adopting children is ordered by popularity, so only the greatest movies about adopted kids and family are at the top of the list. There are both comedy and drama movies on this list of movies about adoption and foster care. A few of these films are even based on a true story. The films on this list are the most famous adoption movies of all time, so use it to find some movies that you haven't seen already. Click on these adoption movie titles for more information about the films.

This list answers the questions, "What are the best adoption movies?" and "What is the greatest adoption movie of all time?"

Various bits of information are included with these popular adoption movies, such as who directed them, when they were released and who starred in the films. Whether you're watching these adoption movies on Netflix or other streaming serviee, these good adoption movies can be enjoyed no matter what. Be sure to check back for new movies about adoption when they are released and added to the list.

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Instant Family
Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne
Released: 2018
Directed by: Sean Anders
Instant Family is a 2018 comedy film directed by Sean Anders. Couple Pete (Mark Wahlberg) and... more
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The Blind Side
Sandra Bullock, Lily Collins
Released: 2009
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
The Blind Side is a 2009 American semi-biographical sports drama film. It was written and... more
More The Blind Side
#63 of 85 The Greatest African American Biopics#61 of 91 Great Historical Black Movies Based On True Stories
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Lion
Dev Patel, Rooney Mara
Released: 2016
Directed by: Garth Davis
Lion is a 2016 Australian-American-British drama film directed by Garth Davis and written by... more
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Matilda
Danny DeVito, Mara Wilson
Released: 1996
Directed by: Danny DeVito
Matilda is a 1996 American fantasy comedy children's film directed and narrated by Danny... more
More Matilda
Willy Wonka Fan Theories That Are Pure Imagination#9 of 96 The Best Film Adaptations of Young Adult Novels
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Baby Boom
Diane Keaton, James Spader
Released: 1987
Directed by: Charles Shyer
Baby Boom is a 1987 comedy film starring Diane Keaton. The film also launched a subsequent... more
More Baby Boom
#178 of 305 The Funniest '80s Movies#876 of 1,137 The Absolute Funniest Movies Of All Time
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Losing Isaiah
Halle Berry, Samuel L. Jackson
Released: 1995
Directed by: Stephen Gyllenhaal
Losing Isaiah is a 1995 American drama film starring Jessica Lange and Halle Berry, directed... more
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#88 of 661 The Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked#13 of 40 The Best Halle Berry Movies of All Time, Ranked
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Immediate Family
Glenn Close, James Woods
Released: 1989
Directed by: Jonathan Kaplan
Immediate Family is a 1989 drama film directed by Jonathan Kaplan. It stars Glenn Close and... more
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Then She Found Me
Helen Hunt, Bette Midler
Released: 2007
Directed by: Helen Hunt
Then She Found Me is a 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Helen Hunt. The screenplay... more
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Annie
Tim Curry, Bernadette Peters
Released: 1982
Directed by: John Huston
Annie is a 1982 American musical comedy-drama film adapted from Broadway musical of the same... more
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#113 of 372 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime#192 of 356 The Best Musical Movies Of All Time
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Twins
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Heather Graham
Released: 1988
Directed by: Ivan Reitman
Twins is a 1988 comedy film, produced and directed by Ivan Reitman about unlikely twins who... more
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#207 of 297 The Best Duos of All Time#81 of 522 The Greatest Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
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Mommie Dearest
Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid
Released: 1981
Directed by: Frank Perry
Mommie Dearest is a 1981 American biographical drama film about Joan Crawford, starring Faye... more
More Mommie Dearest
#142 of 275 The Best Movies Based On True Stories#24 of 26 The Best F-Bombs In Movie History
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Mother and Child
Annette Benning, Naomi Watts
Released: 2009
Directed by: Rodrigo García
Mother and Child is an American drama film directed and written by Rodrigo García. It... more
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A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Meryl Streep, Robin Williams
Released: 2001
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
A.I. Artificial Intelligence, also known as A.I., is a 2001 American science fiction film... more
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#72 of 178 The Best Dystopian And Near Future Movies#271 of 549 The Greatest Epic Movies Ever Made

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Mighty Aphrodite
Woody Allen, Helena Bonham Carter
Released: 1995
Directed by: Woody Allen
Mighty Aphrodite is a 1995 romantic comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. The... more
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#454 of 1,189 Every Oscar Winning Film Ever#248 of 252 The Funniest '90s Movies
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Lovely and Amazing
Jake Gyllenhaal, Emily Mortimer
Released: 2001
Directed by: Nicole Holofcener
Lovely and Amazing is a 2001 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Nicole... more
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#336 of 782 The Greatest Chick Flicks Ever Made#602 of 675 The Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars
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Butter
Olivia Wilde, Hugh Jackman
Released: 2011
Directed by: Jim Field Smith
Butter is a 2011 comedy film directed by Jim Field Smith, from a screenplay by Jason Micallef,... more
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A Simple Twist of Fate
Steve Martin, Anne Heche
Released: 1994
Directed by: Gillies MacKinnon
A Simple Twist of Fate is a 1994 American drama film directed by Gillies MacKinnon. The... more
More A Simple Twist of Fate
#121 of 179 The Best Family Drama Movies of All Time#34 of 45 The Best Steve Martin Movies of All Time, Ranked
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Secrets & Lies
Timothy Spall, Brenda Blethyn
Released: 1996
Directed by: Mike Leigh
Secrets & Lies is a 1996 British drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh. Led by an... more
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A Family Thing
Robert Duvall, James Earl Jones
Released: 1996
Directed by: Richard Pearce
A Family Thing is a 1996 film starring Robert Duvall, James Earl Jones and Irma P. Hall. It... more
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Big Daddy
Adam Sandler, Jon Stewart
Released: 1999
Directed by: Dennis Dugan
Big Daddy is a 1999 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and starring Adam Sandler.... more
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#40 of 50 The 50 Highest Grossing '90s Movies, Ranked#47 of 84 Great Movies That Take Place in Autumn
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Madeline
Frances McDormand, Nigel Hawthorne
Released: 1998
Directed by: Daisy von Scherler Mayer
Madeline is a 1998 live-action film adaptation of the book series by Ludwig Bemelmans,... more
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Baby for Sale
Dana Delany, Hart Bochner
Released: 2004
Directed by: Peter Svatek
Baby for Sale is a 2004 television film that was premiered on the Lifetime Network on 12 July... more
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Adoption
László Szabó, Flóra Kádár
Released: 1975
Directed by: Márta Mészáros
Adoption is a 1975 Hungarian drama film directed by Márta Mészáros. It tells the story of a... more

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Off and Running
Avery Klein-Cloud
Released: 2010
Directed by: Nicole Opper
Off and Running is a 2010 documentary film written by Avery Klein-Cloud and directed by Nicole...
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December Boys
Teresa Palmer, Daniel Radcliffe
Released: 2007
Directed by: Rod Hardy
December Boys is an Australian 2007 drama film directed by Rod Hardy and written by Marc... more

Lion

Off and Running